suicide prevention

The conversation around gun violence in the U.S. usually focuses on homicides, urban crime and mass shootings. But the overwhelming majority of gun deaths are suicides.

Sharp Increase In Gun Suicides Signals Growing Public Health Crisis

4:47pm July 26, 2018

by Brian Mann

The overwhelming majority of gun deaths in America don't involve bad guys with guns — they're caused by people deliberately harming themselves. The U.S. experiences more than 60 gun suicides daily.

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Research shows that people taken to an emergency room after a suicide attempt are at high risk of another attempt in the next several months. But providing them with a simple "safety plan" before discharge reduced that risk by as much as 50 percent.

Health & Safety

A Simple Emergency Room Intervention Can Help Cut Suicide Risk

7:25pm July 11, 2018

by Rhitu Chatterjee

ER workers helped patients who arrived after a suicide attempt develop a tailored "safety plan," that included coping strategies of what to do and whom to call if the urge arose again.

Truckers Line Up Under Bridge To Save Man Threatening Suicide

5:43pm April 24, 2018

by Vanessa Romo

Michigan State Police and local officials rounded up a group of 13 semitruck drivers to park below a freeway overpass to shorten the fall of a man trying to jump to his death.

For Rogers, farming is a calling and a way of life. He says continuing financial pressure is threatening the survival of dairy farmers and the landscape of New England.

As Milk Prices Decline, Worries About Dairy Farmer Suicides Rise

3:52pm February 27, 2018

by Tovia Smith

The nation's dairy farmers are facing their fourth year of depressed milk prices. The outlook is so bleak, it's increased worries about farmer suicides. One recent outreach effort drew criticism.

It's easy to mistake adolescent depression for something else, child psychiatrists say; the signs can include misbehavior, eating problems or sleep trouble.

Pediatricians Call For Universal Depression Screening For Teens

5:11pm February 26, 2018

by Allison Aubrey

The nation's leading group of pediatricians has updated its guidelines for tackling teen mental health issues. One recommendation: Annual depression screening for all adolescents 12 and older.

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Religious leaders are uniquely positioned to recognize the early signs of people contemplating suicide.

More Religious Leaders Challenge Silence, Isolation Surrounding Suicide

6:00am February 11, 2018

by Cheryl Platzman Weinstock

Many faith leaders are looking past suicide as a sin to help spot and support those suffering from mental health issues in their communities.

The study drew on survey data from half a million U.S. teenagers from 2010 to 2015.

Increased Hours Online Correlate With An Uptick In Teen Depression, Suicidal Thoughts

5:03pm November 14, 2017

by Patti Neighmond

It's not proof of cause and effect, but should be a warning, researchers say. Surveys showed teens — especially girls — who spent hours online daily were more likely than others to report depression.

Jay Zimmerman (left) and his father, Buddy, in July 2016. Buddy, who was also a veteran, passed away last September.

Veteran Teaches Therapists How To Talk About Gun Safety When Suicide's A Risk

4:39pm February 09, 2017

by April Dembosky

The VA is now training counselors in how to better understand and bring up guns and gun safety without alienating clients who are combat veterans.

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During American Widow Project retreats, the widows create a makeshift family scrapbook with photos of their families.

Military Widows Find Hope And Understanding Together

5:39am February 04, 2017

by Gloria Hillard

In the past, women seeking help from the American Widow Project were young women whose husbands had been killed in combat. Today, their husbands are dying on U.S. soil.

The Golden Gate Bridge stands over San Francisco Bay in 2014. Bridge officials have rolled out a crisis text hotline to encourage young people to reach out for help.

At Golden Gate Bridge, Texting Offers New Lifeline To Prevent Suicides

4:30pm October 03, 2016

by Stephanie Martin Taylor

The number of people younger than 25 showing up at the bridge intending to commit suicide is five times what it was in 2000. A crisis text hotline is encouraging young people to reach out for help.

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